Regulus Black in Hogwarts
by DolbyDigital
Summary: [1] Slytherin – "I'm gonna be in Slytherin," the boy opposite him said proudly. [2] Gryffindor – "You're doing this on purpose," Walburga hissed. Regulus winced, sinking lower in his seat. "You just want to see my family disgraced."
1. Slytherin

" _I'm_ gonna be in Slytherin," the boy opposite him said proudly.

"Is your family all from Slytherin, too?" Regulus asked, only mildly interested. He knew that wasn't the case – if it were, he would have recognised the boy – but he didn't know what else to say.

"No. Ravenclaw, but I know I'm– Wait," he interrupted himself. "Too?"

"Regulus." He held out his hand. "Black."

The boy finally fell silent.

.oOo.

He instantly spotted his brother across the Great Hall. Sirius was seated with his friends in the middle of the Gryffindor table, but he was easy enough to spot, even in the mass of red and gold. No other student so young had quite Sirius' level of confidence.

Their eyes met as the Hat was lowered to Regulus' head, blocking his view of the Hall.

 _"Ah,"_ a voice sounded in his head. _"Another Black. I know just where to put you."_

Regulus remained silent, letting the Hat sift through his thoughts.

 _"Hmm…"_ the Hat said, delving deeper into Regulus' mind. Only then did he begin to feel slight tinges of nervousness; his mother had lead him to believe that this would be a quick process – that the Hat would not make the same mistake twice – but… _"Very loyal, aren't you?_ " the Hat said slowly.

" _No!"_ Regulus tried to make the thought as loud as possible, though he was quickly reminded that such a thing was impossible. _"Not_ there _,"_ he thought, filling the word with as much contempt as possible.

 _"Very well, then,"_ the Hat said. _"Your brother was't like the rest of your family,"_ the Hat continued. Regulus tried to will it to stop. _"You share the same potential for great bravery as him. There is a strength to you that will–"_

" _No,_ " Regulus thought. He heard a single cough, and only then did it register how silent the Great Hall was – _were all Sortings like this?_ – and how long he had been seated. He was a Black; it was supposed to be a given that he'd be in Slytherin.

 _"Ravenclaw would also suit you well,"_ the Hat said, ignoring Regulus' discomfort. " _But, I suppose–"_

"SLYTHERIN!" the Hat yelled. It was quickly removed from his head by the same stern looking teacher who had placed it there – Professor McGonagall, if he remembered the overheard conversation between his brother and the Potter boy correctly.

Polite applause sounded from the Slytherin table, nothing like the rambunctious cheers the Gryffindor table had gifted the girl before him.

He caught sight of his brother again. Sirius glanced away as soon as their eyes met, a look Regulus thought might have been disappointment briefly crossing his features.

.oOo.

The boy from the train practically fell into the seat beside Regulus, smiling widely.

"It's great to already have a friend, isn't it?" he asked. It took Regulus a moment to realise the boy was referring to him.

"Sorry, what was your name?" Regulus asked.

"Oh! I'm Barty." He grinned. "Barty Crouch. I guess I forgot to tell you, huh?" he asked. If it were up to Regulus, this boy would be in Hufflepuff. "I bet you'll already know so much more about Slytherin than me. I've been reading, but it's not the same as–" Regulus tuned him out.

He was beginning to wonder if Ravenclaw might have been the better option.


	2. Gryffindor

"You're doing this on purpose," Walburga hissed. Regulus winced, sinking lower in his seat. "You just want to see my family _disgraced_ ," she continued, ignoring her son's discomfort. "You will put him into Slytherin, where he clearly belongs."

Professor Dumbledore turned to look at Regulus. Regulus sank a little lower, eyes wide, hoping that this would end soon.

"The Hat cannot be tampered with," Dumbledore said calmly, turning back to Regulus' mother. Regulus let out a small sigh of relief. "And does not make mistakes." Walburga looked at though she might complain, but Dumbledore spoke again before she could. "Your son is exactly where he should be. And, Mrs. Black," he added, almost as an afterthought. "I believe we went through this when your eldest was Sorted."

Walburga huffed, grabbing Regulus by the writs and pulling him from his seat. She turned at the door.

"This is not over," she hissed. Regulus met the headmaster's apologetic eyes and swallowed thickly.

.oOo.

"You're Regulus, right?" A boy in the year above him sat in the empty chair opposite. "Sirius' brother?" Regulus nodded slowly, trying to remember which of Sirius' friends this was. "I'm Remus," he said, smiling softly and holding out a hand. Regulus shook hands automatically.

"It's nice to meet you," Regulus said quietly. Remus laughed, and Regulus withdrew his hand quickly.

"No, I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I'm not laughing at you. It's just– You're nothing like you're bother."

"Is that a bad thing?" Regulus asked.

"Not at all," Remus assured him. "I think one Sirius is more than enough."

Regulus smiled softly; maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.

.oOo.

"Hey, Regulus!" Remus called, jogging to catch up to him in the corridor. "Where're you headed?" he asked.

"Um… Lunch?"

"Oh, right. Course," Remus grinned, but his cheeks were a little red with embarrassment. "Mind if I join you?" Regulus shrugged.

"Sure. It's not like I've got any friends."

"Really?" Remus asked. "How's that?"

"You mean, why don't I have any friends three days after my mother came here screaming about how Sorting her children into Gryffindor is clearly an insult? How–"

"Yeah, okay," Remus said. "Your mum's clearly a bit mental. No offence," he added. "But she did exactly the same thing with Sirius."

"She did?" Regulus asked, frowning. He would have thought that'd be something he'd notice. Remus nodded.

"Plus, y'know, House of the brave."

.oOo.

Regulus sat at one of the tables in the Gryffindor Common Room, trying to get a head start on the Potions essay they had been assigned earlier that day. It was difficult, though, to concentrate over the sounds of other students.

He looked up when the portrait hole opened, seeing his brother and his friends stepping through.

"Regs!" Sirius yelled upon seeing him. Regulus winced, closing his textbook; he wouldn't be getting any more work done now.

"Hey, Regulus," Remus said, raising his hand in a slight wave.

"So, this is the infamous Regulus?" Potter asked, leaning over the table and getting uncomfortably close to Regulus.

"Leave him alone," Remus said, pulling Potter back. "He's trying to study."

"Who studies this early on?" Sirius asked. Regulus had remained silent up until now, but–

"Well, I can't now that you're here," he snapped, stacking his books and shoving them into his bag.

"Aw, c'mon, Regs. We were only joking," Sirius said. Regulus ignored him, and stormed up the stairs to his dormitory.

.oOo.

"Hey, Regs? You in here?" Sirius called, peering 'round the doorframe.

"What do you want?" Regulus asked. He didn't look over at Sirius when he heard his brother close the door behind him.

"Why are you in bed?"

"I'm not," Regulus said, rolling over so that his back was to Sirius. He felt the bed dip behind him where Sirius must have sat down.

"Look, I really am sorry about earlier," Sirius said. He sounded sincere, which was a little puzzling, and genuinely concerned. Perhaps this wasn't a forced apology then. Still…

"Why?" Regulus asked.

"Why what?"

"Why are you apologising?"

"Well, I– I felt bad, and–" Sirius released a deep breath. "Remus said you were having a hard time. I didn't notice." Regulus couldn't push down the hurt at that. "And I'm sorry. I guess I– I guess I know what you're going through," he said quietly. Regulus turned to face him.

"How? You don't care what our parents think. You–"

"I do," Sirius interrupted. "Or, I did. Back then. Could've sworn I'd be in Slytherin. Don't tell anyone," he added quickly. "And then Mother came to school, screaming on about how this was… I don't know, a personal attack on her, I think she said. It was embarrassing."

"Yeah?" Regulus asked, looking up at his brother.

"'Course."

"But you still had friends."

"Not back then. Not really. I met James on the train, and we talk sometimes, but I think Mother scared him off for a while." Sirius paused, frowning slightly. "Actually, I think Pete was the only one still talking to me in the couple days after Mother came by."

"But–"

"You'll make friends, Reg," Sirius said. "And you've always got me. And Remus, and I'm sure you'll like Peter."

"But not James?" Regulus asked.

"He'll grow on you."

"Thanks," Regulus whispered, eyes downcast.

"Anytime," Sirius said. "Just don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold," he said proudly. Regulus scoffed.


End file.
